Sleep is our mind and body’s best friend. Quality sleep helps the body function properly during the day, allows you to maintain excellent health, and helps clear and compose the mind. Without it, we get tired, unhappy, stressed, and lazy. This negativity can greatly impact our lives as it often a result of failure.
Accomplished co-author of Principles for Success and experienced sleep dentist, Dr. Patricia Takacs, states “Success begins with sleep.” So, how do we achieve quality sleep that brings success? You might remove electronics from your room 30 minutes before bed, listen to calming music as you fall asleep, or you might make certain lifestyle changes.
For others, yoga has become an increasingly popular method of improving your quality of sleep over the last few years. The highly-restorative practice can completely wind down your mind, body, and soul, allowing you to reach your deepest relaxation and increase your nighttime slumber.
If you want to refine your sleep in order to help discover success and live a better life, try these five yoga poses before bed. With consistent practice, it won’t be long until you see an improvement in your health, happiness, and wellbeing.
1. Child’s Pose (Balasana)
Known as a popular yoga pose that encourages tranquility and stability in the body, Child’s Pose can be done by spreading your knees wide apart on the floor and resting your bottom on your heels. Bring your chest and belly down to the floor, reach out to lengthen your spine, relax, and breathe deeply and slowly.
For a deeper stretch, try to bring your arms backward along your thighs, with your palms facing up. You’ll notice a calming force that soothes your brain and relieves your stress, helping you reach ultimate relaxation before going to bed for the night.
2. Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)
This pose stretches the hips, inner thighs, and groin, and supports the digestive system, lower heart rate, and improve sleep. To accomplish this pose, lie down on your back, bring your feet together in a “butterfly” position, and relax your hands on your stomach or spread out on each side of your body. Focus your awareness on your hands and recognize the serene feeling of your torso rising and falling slowly as you breathe.
3. Legs-Up-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)
After a long, tiring day, coming home to rest and relax is the ultimate reward for your mind and body. The Legs-Up-Wall pose is especially useful for people who are constantly on their feet. It helps recirculate blood flow in your feet and legs and allows for your lower body to recover from the day.
To do this pose, start by choosing a wall in your home. When ready, rest either your left or right side as close to the wall as possible, lay back, and lift both legs up against the wall. You can put your arms outward on the floor as you relax and breathe to reach the maximum benefits of this pose.
4. Reclining Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
A yoga twist is a great way to stretch the body and detox the mind after a stressful day. To do this pose, lay flat on your back, bend both knees in a 90-degree angle and let them fall to the right or left side. Allow your arms to extend outward and turn your head to the opposite side of where your legs lie. After you’ve peaked one side’s stretch, you can slowly shift to the other side and continue the same technique.
5. Corpse Pose (Savasana)
The Corpse Pose is known as the final resting pose and is great to practice as you fall asleep. Allow your body to rest as you lay down in your bed and place your hands on your stomach or by your side. Close your eyes, relax your entire body, and feel your slow breaths as they fill your belly and flow into your chest. As you continue this soothing breathing pattern, you’ll be asleep in no time.
Live Your Luxury with Good Sleep
To discover new benefits for your sleep, try practicing yoga and see how your health and happiness improve. You can find a balanced, comfortable class at Wildfire Yoga or you can practice in the comfort of your own home. No matter where you are, yoga will be sure to provide you with the physical and emotional benefits you need to achieve a good night’s sleep.
—Jenna Toppin